


The Witch's Task

by DaniCarli



Series: ETNuary Challenge [19]
Category: Escape the Night (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, ETNuary, Escape the Night Season 3, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Forced Servitude, Freedom, Gen, Hunt, Light Angst, Lots of Other Mythical Creatures, Magic, Medieval, Phoenixes, Rebellion, Safiya is a witch, but Mortimer is nice, serves under a tyrant queen, this could become a fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-19
Updated: 2020-01-18
Packaged: 2021-02-27 07:33:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22313317
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DaniCarli/pseuds/DaniCarli
Summary: After serving as the queen's Witch Aid for years, Safiya is offered a way out when tasked to hunt down and capture a mysterious phoenix that serves a group of rebels.  This quest is proven to be complicated when she learns more about the fire-bird.
Relationships: Safiya Nygaard/Tyler Williams
Series: ETNuary Challenge [19]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1588867
Comments: 13
Kudos: 18





	The Witch's Task

**Author's Note:**

> Day 19 of ETNuary: Safiya Nygaard

When anyone hears the name “Safiya Nygaard”, it's a name that brings either fear or intrigue to people. For the name belongs to the most powerful witch in all the kingdom of Everlock, who is also the aid to the queen. No one knows much about her, but there have been tales of her beauty and of her powers.

Some say her black hair was drawn from the night sky, others say that she drinks the blood of pure virgins to sustain her youth, and some say that she would draw her powers from human souls. It amuses Safiya when she hears these rumors, for they are all untrue. Before she became Queen Janet’s consultant and Witch Aid, used to spy on her enemies and invoke order among Everlock, Safiya was the daughter of a healer and herbalist from a nearby village. She was just a village girl who happened to have powers that she drew from the earth and the night sky.

When the queen heard of her abilities after saving the life of a little girl, Safiya was brought to the palace and convinced to serve her majesty in exchange for protection and a good life for her family. The raven-haired girl agreed to it, although she wasn’t given much of a choice since the alternative was death. She was trained under the watchful eye of previous Witch Aid, Calliope, to succeed her. The rest was history.

Safiya doesn’t mind her life in the castle, but it is lonely at times. Most of the people who reside there view her as either just a weapon or a freak of nature. She misses her family, her friends, and the boy she loved and left behind. However, as long as they are well cared for, that’s enough for Safiya. Sometimes, her love visits the kingdom’s walls to sell his items during the market time, which is only when they are able to meet in secret. They have successfully done this for the last five years, but it’s not enough. All Safiya can take comfort in is the promise that as soon as another witch can be found to take over, she will be free to return home. Or so she thought.

One morning, Safiya was summoned by the queen immediately. It must have been very important if the head guard is escorting her. As soon as the witch arrives, she is briefed right away.

“It appears that there is a rebel group that is planning my downfall,” Queen Janet explains. “On normal terms, my forces could easily wipe them out. But according to my son, here, they have something far more dangerous on their side.”

The queen gestures to the head guard, and the crown prince, Mortimer, who steps forward in his armor. “Indeed, Lady Safiya, it’s something I never thought existed, but it is true. My men and I have seen it.”

Safiya nods, flashing a small grin to the prince. Mortimer isn’t like his mother. During the time Safiya has lived in the castle and served the queen, Mortimer has always been kind to her and treated her with genuine respect. He’s the closest to a friend she has in this “prison.”

“The rumors are true,” Mortimer continues, “the rebels indeed have a phoenix on their side.”

Safiya snorts, almost wanting to laugh.

“Something funny, witch?” the second-in-command, a big blonde man name Sir Wilmer, snarls. Safiya glares at the man. She never liked him.

“Forgive me, your majesty,” Safiya turns back to the queen. “But a phoenix is nothing but a myth! There hasn’t been one in the last hundreds of years.”

The queen glares at her, not liking that the witch doubts her. “Apparently it’s true if my son saw it with his very own eyes. Are you calling the prince a liar?”

“No, not at all!” Safiya quickly recovers. Last thing she needs is to anger the queen. She knows what happens to those who anger Queen Janet.

“Good,” the queen nods. “The phoenix was sighted south of the Misty Forest. You are to capture this fire-bird alive and bring it to me. A phoenix may be dangerous, but it’s no match for my most powerful witch.”

Irritation flows through Safiya’s blood, yet she keeps her composure. To be called a possession has always bothered her.

“In return,” the queen continues, “I will offer you something that you seem to desire greatly.”

Safiya looks up, hoping it is what she thinks it is.

“For the past ten years, you have served as my greatest Witch Aid; you have never _once_ failed me. If you capture this phoenix, you will be released from you duties and free to return to your home.”

The witch almost bursts into tears. For so long, she longed for her freedom and now it’s within her reach. She can return to her village, her family, and to her love, Tyler. They can finally be together. All she has to do is hunt down this rebel beast, capture it, and bring it to the queen. If that’s all it takes, it is what she will do.

“Thank you, your majesty,” Safiya replies with gratitude. “You can trust that I will not fail you in this task. I will retrieve this phoenix and have it for you before you know it.”

Queen Janet smiles. “That’s what I want to hear.”

The queen gestures to Mortimer and the soldiers. “Prince Mortimer will escort you to the Misty Forest where the phoenix was last spotted. You have until sunset tomorrow to bring this monster to me. If you spot any rebels, capture one for interrogation and kill anyone else. Do not disappoint me, my dear!”

Safiya nods as she curtsies. “Yes, my queen.”

And with that, Mortimer escorts her out of the throne room, ready to take on this quest and earn the freedom she has waited ten years for.

After an hour of preparation and another hour of traveling, Safiya, Mortimer, and his knights make it to the Misty Forest. It is a dark place that would make the average person tremble with fear. Even some of the horses were not fond of this place. It doesn’t bother Safiya though. 

Anything deemed creepy and scary is normal to a witch like her. She has always been fond of the dark and mysterious. It could be because she understands it more than anyone, especially as someone who is different. And once they find the phoenix, she can go back to that.

The group comes to a clearing in the forest when suddenly, the prince holds up his hand to stop everyone. Safiya understands immediately, for she senses the presence as well. All of a sudden, a burst of flames fly from the sky towards the hunting party.

The horses go crazy, some knocking their riders off. Safiya steadies her own horse, Crusty, as Mortimer commands his men to get ready. The witch leaps off, summoning her magic to prepare to take the bird down. She waits for it to appear as the soldiers jump off their own horses, swords and crossbows at the ready.

Sure enough, through the trees is the fiery bird Safiya always believed was something from stories told to children. It’s a massive bird, almost the size of the horses. Flames ignite at the wings, it’s loud caw almost the sound between a hawk and a songbird. If it wasn’t so deadly, Safiya would have thought of it as the most beautiful thing she’s ever seen.

The phoenix flies towards the party, forcing men to duck for cover. Safiya, however, stands her ground. She has a task to fulfill.

She walks forward, her black dress and cape flowing with the breeze of the phoenix’s wings, and faces off against the bird. The phoenix takes in her stature, ready to duel against the witch. Its wings beat the fiery heat towards her, but it doesn’t prevent Safiya from summoning her magic, calling upon the spirits of the forest. 

With all her might, Safiya shouts her spell and aims it at the phoenix. The bird takes the hit, but not enough to incapacitate it. It’s a lot stronger than Safiya expected as she prepares herself for another spell. 

Meanwhile, the knights try to take down the fire-bird, but are only met with it knocking them on their backs. While an amusing sight, Safiya finds it odd that the phoenix isn’t trying to kill them. She decides to brush it off as she strengthens her magic. 

All of a sudden, the phoenix appears before her, this time so close that it’s fire wings could catch Safiya’s black hair on fire. The force almost knocks her back.

“Lady Safiya!” she hears Mortimer shout. The phoenix flaps its wings, the wind from it knocking the prince back.

The witch composes herself and puts up her defenses, ready to take this beast down. But the phoenix looks back at her and for a moment, the two meet eye to eye.

The mystical bird stares at her, but it doesn’t appear to want to hurt her. The way it looks at the witch almost throws her off guard. Within its auburn eyes, is a look of recognition. Almost as if the phoenix knows who she is. But it’s not a “I’ve heard tales of this witch” familiarity, but almost a personal familiarity; this bird is looking at Safiya as if it known her all her life.

She stares back, confused. How does this beast, that she’s never seen before, know her? 

“Do I know you?” The witch quietly asks the phoenix. The fire-bird only looks back and from the corner of its eye, a tear appears. Safiya is left in a trance, unsure of what to do.

The moment is interrupted by the sound of a _whoosh_ that zooms past Safiya and hits the phoenix. The fire-bird cries out as an arrow lodges itself into its body, right near its heart. 

Safiya looks behind her and spots Sir Wilmer aiming his crossbow at the beast, a victorious look on his face.

She fearfully looks back at the bird, who immediately takes off and flies to the south, ash falling in its wake.

 _That stupid bastard!_ Safiya angrily turns to Sir Wilmer so she can chew him out. The witch is beaten to it by Mortimer, who knocks the bow out of the knight’s hand.

“You fool!” Mortimer shouts, “My mother instructed specifically that we bring it in _alive_!”

Sir Wilmer just shrugs. “Relax, your highness. If the legend is true, won’t it be reborn or something?”

Safiya relaxes. As dumb of a brute Sir Wilmer is, he is right about that.

“It’s true,” she explains to Mortimer. “A phoenix never actually dies. If it does, it should turn to ash and then be reborn from them.”

Which means they can still catch it. Safiya notices the ashes are creating a path. She rushes over to Crusty, jumping on, ready to ride after their target.

Mortimer notices. “Lady Safiya, what are you doing?”

The witch points to the small trail. “That phoenix will not get far in its injured state. It will turn to ash, and while it’s reborn, it will be vulnerable. I’m capturing that bird if it’s the last thing I do!”

Before the prince can protest, Safiya motions her horse into a gallop, taking off into the forest and towards her prize. She is so close to getting her freedom back. But also, she wants to the opportunity to learn more about this beast and how it knows her. She needs the answers before Mortimer and his knights catch up.

Safiya follows the dark material which gets bigger and bigger the longer she rides. At last she finds her mark by the river. What lies before is a large pile of ash and soot. This is where the phoenix had fallen. 

Safiya dismounts Crusty and makes her way to the ash heap, preparing to immobilize the bird once it emerges. She will capture it, bring it to the queen, and the witch will be free to finally go home and be with Tyler. Of course, she wants to know how this bird knows her. She has never seen a phoenix till now, so how could it know who she is?

Suddenly, the pile of ash starts to move. The witch prepares herself, summoning her magic, waiting for a new phoenix to appear.

But what emerges surprises her, for it’s a human hand that shoots through the mound. Out of the ashes rises not a bird, but a _man_?

So many thoughts race through Safiya’s head as she keeps her magic steady, watching the man crawl out of the heap. He's covered all over in the ash, staining his face and clothes. Once fully out, he begins to cough and sputter from the dry substance he was submerged in.

 _The phoenix is human?_ That was part of the legend Safiya was not aware of.

The man is on his knees, spitting out any ash and debris. Once he’s composed, he finally looks up and is taken aback by the sight of the witch in front of him.

“Try anything, phoenix, and I will turn you back into that ash you came out of!” Safiya sternly warns, her glowing hands aimed at her target. The man softly raises his hands in surrender, his wide eyes meeting Safiya’s. But it isn’t because he’s afraid of her. In fact, he seems shocked to see the witch.

“I can’t believe it!” he finally speaks, his voice dry yet filled with some sort of emotion. “It’s really _you_!”

Safiya maintains her position, but internally almost falters. This phoenix-man knows who she is as if they have history together. 

She takes a closer look at this person, and while covered in ash and dirt, Safiya is able to get a better look at his appearance.

He’s a young man, someone who’s likely close to her age, with light messy brown hair and boyish brown eyes. His demeanor is almost youthful, but also brings on a mature air as he looks at her with fascination, along with emotional recognition. There is something about this young man that is now so familiar to Safiya, but she can’t quite put her finger on it.

“Who are you?” She demands this mysterious person to tell her. How does he know her? When has she ever met this man during her time as the Witch Aid?

The man slowly stands up and takes a small step forward, his arms out in assurance that he isn’t going to hurt her. Safiya however ignites her hands even brighter as a warning to him. The man stops, his arms still out, and his facial expression turns into a melancholy smile.

“Saf,” the man speaks, warmly gesturing to himself. “It’s me! Don’t you remember?”

_Saf._

That is a nickname Safiya hasn’t heard in a long time. The last it was used was when she was a young girl in her village, playing alongside her two best friends, a brother and sister who treated her as if she too was family. She remembers the boy, a heart full of light, a laugh that brought joy, and an intelligent mind that stretched beyond many mountains. He was the one to give her that nickname as a way to show her that she belonged and mattered, especially to him and his sister. She can still picture that boy, she can even see his name. Or at least the nickname she called him. _His name was-_

“MatPat?” Safiya chokes out, reminiscent tears filling her eyes. It can’t be!

The young man chuckles, relief that she remembers. “Man, no one has called me that in years! I go by just Matt now.”

He takes in her appearance, his smile getting bigger. “It’s really good to see you, Saf, even if it is in these circumstances.”

Safiya lowers her arms, the glow disappearing from her hands. Her brain is processing this new revelation.

The rebel phoenix, the dangerous beast that Queen Janet ordered to be captured and brought to the castle in exchange for the witch’s freedom, is Safiya’s best friend from childhood, Matthew Patrick.

This changes _everything._

**Author's Note:**

> There will be more once this challenge is over and I actually might come back and make this into an actual fic. Stay tuned!


End file.
